Solar powered, mobile bird pest controller for large area deterrence
A towable, single axle utility trailer having a retractable tower supporting a sonic bird repeller at an upper end thereof, a solar powered panel coupled to charge a storage battery on a trailer platform, and an electric cabling connecting the battery to actuate the sonic bird repeller for providing predatory bird distress calls in creating a danger zone to frighten infesting birds away.
NONE.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTResearch and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIXNOT APPLICABLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bird pest controllers for frightening infesting birds, in general, and to a bird pest controller for large area deterrence, in particular.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ultrasonic and sonic bird repellers are known to frighten infesting birds by the means of intermittent distress calls associated with their predators. Visual scare devices are also known, as are roost inhibitors. For such fixed locations as rooftops and open parking lots, species-specific repellers are oftentimes employed, with visual scare devices typically placed every 50-100 feet. One manufacturer of such bird control products is Bird-X Inc., of Chicago, Ill.
For large landfills, and for transfer depots where trash is transported to, having ultrasonic or sonic bird repellers fixed in place has been found to be an inadequate deterrent. This follows because of the numbers of units that must be utilized, and because each unit must be separately electrically powered to operate. Landfills of hundred of acres are especially attractive to marauding birds where trucks delivering trash and workers there are all in different places at the same time. Simply securing a bird repeller on a fixed platform has been found to be an insufficient way of dealing with the problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAs will become clear from the following description, a bird pest controller for large area deterrence in accordance with the present invention includes a towable utility trailer having a support platform, a telescoping retractable tower having a lower end mounted with the platform, and a sonic bird repeller at an upper end of the tower. A storage battery on the platform is charged, by a solar powered panel on the trailer, and electric cabling connects the battery to the bird repeller components to operate it with the predatory calls.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the solar panel is coupled along a length of the tower between its upper and lower ends—with the panel being pivotable to capture as much sunlight as possible. A first support column on the trailer is then provided to latch the lower end of the tower when it is rotated upwardly to an erect position for sending out the predatory sounds in use. A second support column is included to latch along the length of the tower when it is rotated downwardly to a horizontal position for being transported about, or for storage. To secure the tower when rotated to its erect position, pairs of stabilizing outriggers may be provided, deployable by hand crank winches at both a front towbar of the trailer and at a rear channeling bar provided at the platform. With a retractable tower having a length of some 25-30 feet, and with a 4-sided, 20 speaker sonic bird repeller, areas of over 30 acres have been found to be quite cleared of infesting birds in this manner.
Such height of 25-30 feet will be appreciated by those skilled in the art as being a compromise between the area desired to be cleared (i.e., towers of a greater height) and the height of the transfer depots in use (which tend to be the 25-30 foot range). With the addition of visual deterrents (for example, inflatable “balloons”, iridescent foils, and predatory bird replicas) attached at the top of the tower and from its sides, a significantly greater effectiveness is obtained in creating a frightening “danger zone” to these infesting birds—and in a humane manner that is harmless to them. Workers at these landfill and transfer station depots are thus protected, as will be other workers at such outdoor locations as agricultural fields, airport facilities, beach and park areas. All that is required is the towing of the utility trailer to the area in question, righting the retractable tower for use, connecting the cabling and turning on the sonic bird repeller. Afterwards, all that need be done is to return the tower to its horizontal position, latch it up secure, and tow the trailer to the next area.
These and other features of the present invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which
In
The support platform 12 includes a first support column 26 at a front end of the platform 12, and a second support column 28 at its rear end. Such columns latch the telescoping retractable tower 30 when the trailer 10 is being towed or stored (“for non-use”). A channeling bar extends in two parts 32a and 32b from the rear of the platform 12, each having its own stabilizing outrigger support 34 deployable by a second hand crank winch 36.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various other cabling may additionally be carried in the cage 14 for the storage battery 22 to actuate the bird repeller 40 by way of the control box 56. The repeller may be of any appropriate design to produce the distress cries of predatory birds in this manner, and is preferably a 4-sided unit with 5 speakers per side (for example, as available from Bird-X, Inc. as its MEGA BLASTER design). Secured to the upper end 42 of the tower by a bar extension 58, the repeller 40 is formed as part of a frame 60 which includes outwardly rotatable arms 62a, 62b (
In a preferred construction of the invention, a fully extended operational height of 27 feet was selected for the tower 30 in a towable single axle utility trailer of a total length of 14 feet 10 inches with a front towbar pullable length of 4 feet 5 inches. A front width for the trailer was selected of 3 feet 5 inches, with a fender-to-fender rear width of 5 feet 1 inches increasing to 10 feet 2.5 inches when the outrigger stabilizing supports 34 are in place. With a carrying cage 14 of 3 feet 9 inches by 3 feet 2.25 inches, an overall weight was presented of some 1,180 pounds. With a width of 14 feet 2.5 inches selected with the arms 62a, 62b fully extended outwardly, the single axle trailer of the invention was easily towable on standard tires to relocate from one area to another. The height provided was also found to be quite effective in humanely humanely clearing large areas of infesting birds. As will be appreciated, 25-30 foot tower lengths encompass the height of trash transfer buildings commonly found at landfill locations, where the infesting birds may otherwise roost.
While there have been described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily acknowledged by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For at least such reason, therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true understanding of the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A bird nest controller for large area deterrence comprising:
- a towable utility trailer having a support platform;
- a retractable tower having a lower end mounted with said platform;
- a sonic bird repeller at an upper end of said tower;
- a storage battery on said platform;
- a solar powered panel coupled to charge said battery;
- an electric cabling connecting said battery to actuate said sonic bird repeller;
- a bar extension underlying said sonic bird repeller, to opposite ends of which individual visual scare bird deterrents are coupled; and
- wherein said sonic bird repeller is of 4 sides, having 5 audio speakers per side.
2. The bird pest controller of claim 1 wherein said solar powered panel is coupled along a length of said retractable tower between said upper and lower ends thereof.
3. The bird pest controller of claim 1 wherein said solar powered panel is pivotable along said retractable tower length.
4. The bird pest controller of claim 1, also including a first support column on said platform for latching said lower end of said retractable tower when rotated upwardly to an erect position for use, and a second support column on said platform for latching a point along said length of said retractable when rotated downwardly to a horizontal position during non-use.
5. The bird pest controller of claim 1 wherein said utility trailer includes a front towbar, on opposite sides of which a stabilizing outrigger support is coupled.
6. The bird pest controller of claim 5 wherein said outrigger support is deployable by a hand crank winch.
7. The bird pest controller of claim 1 wherein said utility trailer includes a rear channeling bar, at opposite ends of which a stabilizing outrigger support is coupled.
8. The bird post controller of claim 7 wherein said outrigger support is deployable by a hand crank winch.
9. The bird pest controller of claim 1 wherein said utility trailer includes a front towbar, on opposite sides of which a first stabilizing outrigger support is coupled and deployable by a first hand crank winch, and wherein said utility trailer includes a rear channeling bar at opposite ends of which a second stabilizing outrigger support is coupled, deployable by a second hand crank winch.
10. The bird pest controller of claim 1 wherein said retractable tower is of a length of 25-30 feet.
11. The bird pest controller of claim 1 wherein said storage battery is of 12 volt capacity.
12. A bird pest controller for large area deterrence comprising:
- a towable, single axle utility trailer having a support platform;
- a retractable tower of 25-30 foot length having a lower end mounted with said platform;
- a 4 sided, 20 speaker sonic bird repeller at an upper end of said tower;
- a storage battery of 12 volt capacity on said platform;
- a solar powered panel coupled to charge said battery;
- and an electric cabling connecting said battery to actuate said sonic bird repeller.
13. The bird pest controller of claim 12 wherein said solar powered panel is pivotable along said retractable tower length.
14. The bird pest controller of claim 12 wherein said towable single axle trailer includes a front towbar, on opposite sides of which a first stabilizing outrigger support is deployable by a first hand crank winch and wherein said utility trailer includes a rear channeling bar, on opposite sides of which a second stabilizing outrigger support is deployable by a second hand crank winch.
| 5537125 | July 16, 1996 | Harrell et al. |
| 7227452 | June 5, 2007 | Frost |
| 20030102964 | June 5, 2003 | Hagstrum |
Type: Grant
Filed: Sep 21, 2006
Date of Patent: Jan 29, 2008
Inventor: Robin Zweesaardt (Somerset, NJ)
Primary Examiner: Dan Pihulic
Attorney: Charles I. Brodsky
Application Number: 11/524,172
